


Wonderful Octave

by lancer arthur when (gachahell)



Category: Fate/Grand Order, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Hector's in the mafia, M/M, Mandricardo has 2 jobs and sings for the radio on the side, Outrage (CE) AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:06:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22016089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gachahell/pseuds/lancer%20arthur%20when
Summary: One day after work, Mandricardo finds an injured man while going to grab his bike. And that's really only the beginning of his troubles.Or, Mandricardo has a crush on a man he definitely should not.
Relationships: Hector | Lancer/Mandricardo | Rider
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	1. Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> "Remember them, like a nightmare.  
> Never forget their names. Their legend."  
> -Outrage (Craft Essence), FGO

"I can clean the rest of the shop up if you want," Ritsuka offered, setting down the cup he was busy scrubbing at. Mandricardo looked up from the floor, shocked at the offer. Out of all of his coworkers, Ritsuka was always the first to throw out offers like this, and Mandricardo was never truly sure why that was.

"It's fine. I can finish sweeping up the floor," he grumbled softly, but Ritsuka set a wet hand upon his shoulder.

"No way, you've got that other job you're working, too, right? You deserve a little bit of rest -- so let me finish up here. Don't worry about Charlemagne, I'll explain if he asks." Ritsuka winked, and Mandricardo's throat felt dry immediately. He should have been able to argue back against it; Ritsuka was always busy himself -- he couldn't remember the last day he'd seen him take off. But his tongue tripped up as he tried to say something, anything, against him. Dammit.

"T-thank you..." He finally sighed in defeat, shoulders drooping as he passed the broom off to Ritsuka. "But don't stay too late yourself. It's dangerous to be walking around here at night, you know."

"Alright, mom," Ritsuka teased, reaching up and flicking Mandricardo's forehead. "I think I'm getting a ride from Roland anyways. Charlemagne told me to stick around at least until someone came to pick me up. I'd ask them to give you a ride too, but --"

"It's fine," Mandricardo cut in. "I've got my own motorcycle. It's not like I walk to and from work like you do." And, to be painfully honest, he didn't particularly get along with any of Charlemagne's... group. At best, they simply tolerated him because Ritsuka did, and because Charlemagne himself was as big an idiot as the rest of them, but they certainly weren't people he wished to hang around any longer than he had to. Surely by now Ritsuka must have noticed at least that much.

"Yeah, you're right," Ritsuka chuckled. "One of these days I'll get around to buying an actual bike... again."

Mandricardo blinked; how long had it been since Ritsuka's last one had been stolen? A few months by now, give or take. Though, it was really his own fault for not remembering to lock it up when he parked it out back. What did he expect to happen in as lawless a city as this? Even for someone who'd moved from far away, he should have at least expected that much.

"Just make sure to lock it up when you do. If someone steals your second bike as well, I don't see it going over well with our boss. As ditsy as he is, I've heard he's pretty scary when he's pissed off," Mandricardo warned, giving a small smile as Ritsuka rolled his eyes. It was hard to believe someone as dense as Ritsuka could survive in this city of all places, but there was something endearing about how absolutely naive he was.

"Okay, seriously. Enough talking, get out of here before I chase you out with the broom," Ritsuka huffed, shaking the handle at Mandricardo until he finally stepped back. "Go get some rest and relax a little bit. If you keep squinting at me like that, your face is going to get stuck that way!"

"Alright, alright," Mandricardo sighed in defeat, throwing his hands up as the broom handle was waved threateningly at him once again. "And Ritsuka. Thank you. I'm not sure what I'd do without you, my friend."

Ritsuka snorted, "Well, it certainly wouldn't be going home early. But take care, Mandricardo. I can hold down the fort here until the cavalry arrives, so don't worry about me."

Mandricardo waved one last time as he slipped out the back door, all of the exhaustion hitting him at once the second he stepped outside. He'd never been a particularly high energy person to begin with, but recently it felt like everything was more tiring than usual. Perhaps he really did need to step back and take a proper break for once; though who was he kidding with bills like his to pay.

"Whatever, I just need to go home and nap... Or I guess try to," he grumbled under his breath, grabbing the keys for his bike out of his pocket. But they slipped right from his fingers as the saw the bloody mess that lay in front of it; his heart stopped.

"Aah, now's not really the time to play around with this old man. So why don't you turn around and walk back into your cafe for a while longer," the older man leaning against his bike whined, glancing down at the heap in front of him. They didn't move; Mandricardo held his breath.

"I u-uh... Just want to go h-home, sir," he stammered, struggling to find his words as the older man pushed away from his bike, stumbling over the body towards him. Mandricardo flinched, fully expecting to end up shot for speaking back -- or at least stabbed for it -- but instead the older man fell heavy against him, his breathing sounding labored. 

"Are you... hurt?" Mandricardo asked in confusion, staggering backwards under the man's weight. He glanced down to see the deep red blooming across the man's shirt, also getting an eyeful more than he meant to of the man's chest.

"Just need a bit of a break, is all. This old man's body isn't in the shape it used to be." His voice was hushed and eyes shut. Mandricardo grabbed onto him to keep him from falling right over once more. 

"Y-you need a doctor!" The panic rose in his voice and the older man cracked open an eye, dark and nearly lifeless.

"No doctors," he refused. Mandricardo opened his mouth to argue, but his voice failed him as the older man glared; even half-dead his threatening aura was enough to make Mandricardo's knees weak.

"Fine. No doctors. But I can't leave you bleeding out, s-sir." He choked, dragging him back inside of the cafe. Ritsuka would have to deal with him just a little longer. At least for now.


	2. Outrage

"When I said go home, I meant actually like... go home," Ritsuka sighed, looking at the half-dead man sprawled across the floor. He'd know idea who he was, or why Mandricardo had been so determined to drag him in, but it wasn't as though he could kick him out now. After all, Ritsuka had always been a bleeding heart.

"Sorry... But I couldn't just leave him there," Mandricardo whispered, bowing his head apologetically as Ritsuka pulled the older man's shirt open. There was a gaping wound just above his stomach; it didn't take much to guess that he'd likely been stabbed there by the guy whose body was now back behind the cafe. "Is there anything you can do? He wouldn't let me take him to a doctor?"

"Well... I'm not exceptionally skilled at it, but I can try." Ritsuka pulled the gloves off of his hands, revealing his deeply scarred hands. Mandricardo had never seen them before, or maybe he'd just never noticed it, but they looked almost painful with the way the jagged lines ran in every which direction.

"What are you --" Mandricardo was cut off as Ritsuka's hands began to glow as he placed them against the older man's chest. They pulsed slowly, the energy washing over the entirety of his body in waves as Ritsuka's face scrunched up in concentration. Mandricardo could see he was holding his breath stilling himself until the only sound left in the room was the man's ragged breathing.

"Magic. You have magic," Mandricardo hissed in disbelief. Ritsuka's eyes shot open and he pulled his hands back quickly, as though he'd been burned. He clutched his hands together tightly against his body, glancing up sheepishly at Mandricardo.

"You can't tell anyone about it. Please." His eyes were big and round, pleading. Mandricardo couldn't blame him for it; if anyone else were to find out he had magic... there was no doubt there'd be plenty of gangs showing up at his house wanting to kidnap him for it. Especially for something as useful as healing magic.

"Does... Does anyone else know about it?" Mandricardo asked timidly, rubbing at the back of his neck as he knelt down beside the older man's resting form. The wound on his chest had been mostly healed -- all that was left of it was an angry red scar, and even that was beginning to fade into a softer pink.

"A few people. But... You really can't tell anyone. Promise me." Ritsuka insisted; Mandricardo sighed and nodded.

"It's... the least I can do, I guess. You helped me save this old guy. But what should we do about him?"

"I don't know. You're the one who brought him in -- I thought he was someone you knew?" Ritsuka asked half in confusion.

"I don't know him. I've never even met him," Mandricardo confessed, suddenly feeling guilty. They'd saved this guy's life, but if it was at the cost of Ritsuka's safety, then which of the two really mattered more? His stomach churned, his mind conjuring up all of the worst situations that could happen to Ritsuka because of his choice. Because of what he forced him to do. It made him feel sick.

"He'll be okay at least." Ritsuka reassured him, placing a hand upon his shoulder. It was only then Mandricardo realized how much Ritsuka himself was still trembling. "His life isn't in any danger, and he'll probably wake up pretty soon. Almost like nothing had happened."

"Almost like nothing had happened," the older man repeated, squinting at the ceiling. Ritsuka and Mandricardo both jumped back, screaming in surprise as the man sat up, brushing his hair back with one hand as he glanced down at his nearly-healed injury.

"You didn't say he'd wake up right this second!" Mandricardo shouted, pointing at the man as he looked at Ritsuka in panic. Ritsuka looked just as bewildered as he did.

"He wasn't supposed to! Usually it takes like... an hour or so before people do!"

"If you're going to keep talking about this old man, you might as well talk to _me_ as well." Though the man's voice was light and teasing, it wasn't reflected in his eyes at all. Mandricardo shivered, feeling his stare pierce right through his skin.

"S-sorry about that, sir..." He choked out. "W-we weren't sure if or when you'd wake up and --" 

"You were practically dead! What was that all about?" Ritsuka blurted out, cutting Mandricardo off. "And who are you, anyways? This is a coffee shop, not a death match arena." 

The man looked unamused at Ritsuka's comment, "Why should I have to tell you any of that? Isn't it better to keep to your own business? Or have you not learned at least that much to keep yourself out of trouble here?" 

Ritsuka froze, unable to think of an answer to that, but the man laughed.

"Oh, don't mind this old man, I'm only kidding. It's a joke. I just happened to end up on the wrong side of a robbery was all. I didn't expect him to pull out a knife on me. Who stabs a helpless old man!" He threw up his hands, shaking his head. "But I suppose I owe you both my thanks for helping me."

"Are you really okay...?" Mandricardo asked hesitantly, blushing as the man rebuttoned up his ruined shirt. The man shot him a playful grin.

"Thanks to your friend, I'm about as good as an old man like me can get. But if you'd like to see for yourself, you're more than welcome to."

"I-I! U-uh. Um. I'm good. I think." Mandricardo staggered backwards, his mind went blank as he tried to think of something to respond with. Thankfully, Ritsuka stepped in for him.

"There will still be pain from it, but your life is no longer in any danger, I think. You really should take yourself to a doctor just in case, though."

"If it'll give you a little peace of mind, I suppose I can find someone," the man sighed in defeat. "I'm impressed, though. It's been a good while since I've seen anyone pull off a healing spell half as decent as you. Don't worry, though, I know when I owe someone a favor. So, your little secret is safe with this old man."

"I'd certainly hope it would be," came a new voice. "Or else I think we'd have an even bigger problem between the two of us, isn't that right, Hector?"

"Charlemagne?!" Mandricardo and Ritsuka both squeaked the name out in unison. The young owner of the cafe gave them both a stern look before stepping past them, Roland and Bradamante following closely behind him.

"Must be just this old man's luck that I bump into the little emperor himself," Hector groaned.

"Wait, you're Hector! That Hector?!" Mandricardo gasped, looking between Charlemagne and Hector. How had he not recognized his face from all the wanted posters that were hung up everywhere for Outrage. They were practically a legendary gang in this city, to the point that some questioned whether they actually existed or not.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, boy." Hector grinned. "Mandricardo was it? I don't think I'll be forgetting you or your friend any time soon." Charlemagne made a noise of disapproval, and Hector turned to him. "Now onto business, isn't that right, emperor."

"You'll be lucky if it only stays business," Charlemagne answered, keeping his voice uncharacteristically tight. Even Roland and Bradamante seemed to be unusually professional in the moment, standing protectively behind the young heir.

"His eyes are sparkling, though," Ritsuka pointed out in a whisper. Mandricardo couldn't say that he was much better himself, his heart beating in a frenzy. For once, he was glad no one was looking at him to see just how red his face was from his blushing.


End file.
